W17 trimaran - On the Wind

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This video shows the W17 going smartly upwind at about 10k and
sometimes easing off to a close reach, reaching 12k with a wind in
the 10-12k range. The smoothness of the ride seems pretty clear,
plus the dryness, space and comfort of the cockpit. The stern wake
is clean and the rudder helm super-light, so free of induced drag
often caused by a rudder acting as a partial brake. Obviously, it
gives a lot of pleasure to sail around like this and that’s
what the W17 does so well. (The use of a trapeze in these
conditions was only as an experiment to test the gear and foot grip,
as the skip had then to move to leeward to keep the windward ama out
of the water). The boat is very stable with its 14ft beam, a beam
that readily reduces to 7’-2” when folded